IBM buying big-data transfer specialist Aspera

IBM is in the process of buying Aspera, a company that specializes in secure, high-speed transmission of massive data files.

Companies that deal in content in one way or another rely on the technology to shorten production cycles, or to upload TV shows and movies to popular consumer services. The company’s technology, called fasp, is used by cable operators and other service providers for backbone transmission of video and other data.

Vendors that work with Aspera include thePlatform and Harmonic.

IBM is not revealing the financial terms of the deal.

Aspera's high-speed transfer technology reduces transmission times for large files or data sets by up to 99.9 percent. Using fasp, the transfer of a 24 gigabyte file that might ordinarily take over a day to transmit could be transferred in as little as 30 seconds, the companies said.

Aspera has licensed its technology to several cloud computing services. IBM said fasp will be integrated with IBM's recently acquired SoftLayer cloud infrastructure later next year.

"Our team has redefined how the world's biggest data can be moved quickly, securely and reliably around the world," said Michelle Munson, president and co-founder, Aspera. "By tapping into IBM's innovative capabilities and global resources, we will solve ever expanding data movement challenges for our customers now and in the future."

Aspera recently received an Emmy award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development in recognition of its fasp protocol. The Academy commented that fasp is an "an industry game changer" used by "virtually all the major broadcast television networks, Hollywood studios and CG/animation houses."

Aspera solutions solve data transfer problems across other industries and scenarios as well, such as:

Life sciences organizations sharing genomic data in the quest to find the next medical breakthrough;

Gaming companies receiving the latest software build from third party developers to enable rapid game development;

Any individual within an enterprise trying to share and synchronize large files over distance between multiple devices such as a laptop, mobile phone or tablet.

Companies that deal in content in one way or another rely on the technology to shorten production cycles, or to upload TV shows and movies to popular consumer services. The company’s technology, called fasp, is used by cable operators and other service providers for backbone transmission of video and other data.